War Tales
by DreamyLoner
Summary: In a futuristic setting where the world has been reduced to five great empires, Emil and Leon are two teenage soldiers struggling to survive on the battlefield. WARNING: violence, angst, character death. HongIce/KoHo. PruCan/Franada.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hello there~ It's been a while. Have been busy with work and travel. And no, I haven't left this fandom. No worries. I just need more inspiration. I've recently got hooked on some war movies and of coz that gives me the idea to write some war stories on my favourite pairings! It's not gonna be fluffy and happy. I'm planning to make it angsty and realistic. So be prepared! :3 Reviews much appreciated!

* * *

 **(1) Shot**

"You're trembling," muttered Leon.

Emil took a glimpse of his gloved hand. Snow fell down from the dark, grey sky. Through haze and dust, it melted into the crimson liquid and rotting flesh. The rifle shook in his palm.

The air reeked of smoke. Of blood. Of death.

They crouched behind the fortification, wheezing. Their breaths came out as frost. Their enemies had retreated. Squirming bodies filled the once barren land, tainting it a sea of scarlet. Wails echoed in their ears. The cold penetrated his skin.

"Hey, Emil."

Shivering himself, the brown-haired boy wiped the soot off his forehead with the back of his hand. He placed his other hand on Emil's to steady himself. Emil's eyes were lost somewhere. His vision got sucked into that horrifying sea of flames and torn limbs. A bullet missed his arm by an inch.

Leon had shoved him away.

It took him a while to react. Blood gushed out from the split skin.

"Gosh," he finally gasped and dropped his rifle. He stared at Leon's thigh in astonishment.

"I'm, like, fine, Emil," assured the Asian boy. "I'm fine. Get a grip yourself. We're going back. Okay? Okay?"

"Shit, you're hurt," said Emil. He wrapped a cloth around Leon's wound tightly. The blood soaked the fabric.

"It's nothing serious," said Leon.

Emil was panicking. His eyes reflected his fear. They always said a lot about him even when he was silent. And there were tears. Not because sand had gotten into his eyes. It was the third time Leon had gotten into trouble saving him. He would have died long ago if it hadn't been this brunette backing him up on the battlefield.

Before he got transferred into this unit, it was his brother who watched over him. Lukas was an excellent fighter. Ferocious. Agile. Merciless. He never failed in any combats or missions. He never wanted Emil in the army. Not at this age. Their country had suffered great loss. They were short on manpower and supplies. Boys enlisted to survive. They only wanted to get fed, but these rations cost too much.

He came from the North. A beautiful land of white. They had colourful houses and castles made of ice. Lukas would always take him out to watch the Northern Light. In winter, he would play with the snow and ski. There wasn't much he could remember from his childhood. Even the remaining fragments of memories would soon be wiped out.

Leon was a bit different. He wasn't a blond like Alfred or Matthew. He didn't have light hair like Emil. He was born in the East, but grew up in the West. His hair was brown in the light, black in the night. His eyes were dark but his skin was pale. And he was more petite than the rest in the squad. He spoke with a unique accent. He came with a fascinating culture. It was like he was from another world. Another dimension. He knew things Emil did not.

Emil took Leon on his back and brought him back to the medical unit. The beds were occupied with injured bodies. Bloody bandages and frayed clothes scattered on the ground. Doctors and nurses rushed here and there.

"Yo! I thought you two are dead!" Yong Soo raced to them. His face was covered in soot and his hair was completely wet from sweat. He was panting.

"Not yet," grunted Leon. He popped his head from behind Emil's back.

"Bro, are you hurt?"

Emil carefully laid Leon down on an empty bed.

"He got shot," said Emil as he cut open the cloth around Leon's thigh.

"That doesn't look pretty," remarked Yong Soo as he winced slightly from the hideous wound.

"Go get someone, would you?" Emil snapped at Yong Soo, who raised his brows in shock and immediately ran off to seek help.

"Calm down, Emil," reassured Leon.

"It's my fault again."

Emil stared at the blood that had long drenched Leon's pants.

"It, like, won't kill," Leon said, patting Emil's shoulder with a faint smile. "At most I'll just become crippled."

"That's bad enough."

"And you'll have to take responsibilities," said Leon. "So maybe you will, like, have to push my wheelchair or marry me."

"That's not even funny."

Emil pouted. And then he realised it might be true. Leon could have ended up with disabilities and it would be his fault. It was always his fault.

He was slow. Clumsy. Unskilled.

He always endangered his comrades. If it hadn't been for Leon, he would have been bombed into pieces two days ago.

"Oh no, not now, Emil. Don't cry."

Emil tried hard to swallow his tears.

"Still haven't snapped out of shock yet?"

The other boys always laughed at him. Nobody cried. Nobody had time to cry.

"Come on, I was only joking," said Leon. He lifted his hand to pinch Emil's cheek. "My leg will be fine. Stop being such a baby."

"I'm back!" Yong Soo yelled. He came back with a doctor.

"Get out first," the doctor instructed Yong Soo and Emil. "We'll treat your friend here."

Emil wanted to stay, but Yong Soo dragged him out of the crowded place. Yong Soo squatted under a tree and lit a cigarette. Emil paced back and forth.

"He'll be fine," mumbled Yong Soo as he took a long drag.

"I know."

"Why did you enlist if you were so scared?"

Emil blinked at Yong Soo. The blacked-haired boy didn't look up. He was staring into the far distance. A ring of smoke floated above his head.

"I didn't have a choice," said Emil.

"Right." Yong Soo nodded and leant against the bark. "Leon is tough. He might look girly, but he's tough. He'll get over it."

"What's happened to Leon?" asked a soft voice. A boy with wavy blond hair stepped out from the bushes. He looked concerned.

"He got shot in the thigh," answered Emil.

"And they're treating him right now," added Yong Soo.

"The dude's doing alright," a loud, obnoxious voice butted in.

"Good evening, Sergeant," the three boys stood up straight and greeted.

Alfred rolled his eyes.

"Guys, this is the battlefield. Stop worrying and lazing about. Leon will be taken care of. We have better work to do. Go eat something and rest. Tomorrow is another big day."

"Yes, Sergeant."

"And Mattie, I need you to help me with something," said Alfred as he gestured for his twin brother to follow him.

"I'll catch you two later," said Matthew.

Yong Soo and Emil watched the other two boys disappear around the corner.

 **(2) Memories**

The night was longer than Emil thought. He couldn't sleep knowing the bed beside him was empty. Leon's soft snores were normally his lullaby. Whenever he had to deal with insomnia, Leon would keep him company. They would chat, about various things, about their previous life in their own countries, about their family and siblings, about their studies and future. Emil was studying Arts then. He had just finished his high school and got a college admission. But he never got to graduate from his degree. He was seventeen at that time. Now, he was twenty.

The war raged on.

Leon was different. He didn't have patience for artistic stuff. He loved to pick on Emil's paintings and graphic designs. He offered genuine opinions but mostly just sarcasm. He was a money person. He was studying economics before he even got involved in all this fighting. Nobody knew what he was going to do with an economics degree. He said he would succeed his family business but there had been nothing in this world but wars and financial crisis. Poverty everywhere. Famine. Energy crisis. Everyone wanted to grab a slice of the South-East Empire. That land had treasures. Resources. Oil. Lots of oil. The West was fighting the East to consume that very last piece of hope for humanity. And then the North and the Central Europe joined in.

Emil's dreams were always wild. He would imagine all kinds of possible outcomes. Mostly pessimistic ones. He would think what if they lost the war; what if they died before the war ended; what if Leon's leg wouldn't get any better and he wasn't able to walk forever; what if Leon couldn't come back to his side… So many what-ifs. They haunted him.

He wanted this war to end. But it would never end.

Six years since the first spark of conflicts.

As time rolled on, they forgot more about their past. Everyone fought with a reason. Alfred was downright patriotic. He fought for his country- the powerful American Empire. Matthew fought for his brother- the sole person he could cling to after both their parents perished. Yong Soo fought to prove himself worth something because he had been looked down on all his life. Leon fought for world peace because he missed the days he could just sit by the sea and launch fireworks with his friends.

Now the beach was all covered in mines.

Emil never knew what he was fighting for. There was only one thought in his mind- to survive.

He had to see Lukas again.

"It's 196."

"No, it's 200."

"I honestly think it's-"

Yong Soo and Matthew paused. Emil stepped out of the tent and walked slowly to them.

"Can't sleep huh?" Yong Soo smirked.

"Emil, how many countries were there before the world was reduced to five great empires?" asked Matthew, his eyes sparkling. "I'm so sure it's 196."

"It's a hundred and nineteen something..." Emil shrugged.

"See, I told you." Matthew turned back to Yong Soo and folded his arms.

"Does it really matter?" Yong Soo laughed. "I failed in History."

"And do you remember which one you came from?" asked Matthew.

"Nah," said Yong Soo. "Ever since I could remember a thing, I have always been in the United Nations of America."

"I'm so sure there was a country named Maple or something before," said Matthew as he looked up into the sky. For once, it was stocked with stars. Usually it was covered with layers of smog.

"My parents would remember," said Yong Soo. "But they're dead. I still eat kimchi though. I miss kimchi. It's from the land I was born."

"You came from the East," said Emil. "Just like Leon."

"Oh yes," sighed Yong Soo. "But Leon migrated to the West earlier than I did. Something to do with his dad. Their parents live apart."

"Your family is still in the East?" Matthew frowned.

Yong Soo didn't answer. He kicked the ground with his boots and kept his head down.

"His brother is a soldier in the Sino-Soviet Empire," Emil whispered into Matthew's ear. Matthew stared at the Asian boy wide-eyed.

"That's our enemy."

"Not a family anymore," said Yong Soo sternly. "Same for Leon. We're now on our own. Just ourselves."

Yong Soo jammed his hands into his pockets and walked back into the tent.

"Well, that's messed up," sighed Matthew.

"How long is it gonna last?" asked Emil.

"I don't know," said Matthew. "I seriously don't know…"

 **(3) Dreams**

Nobody told him he had to slice open someone's torso.

Nobody told him he had to shoot someone full of holes.

Nobody told him he had to blow someone up.

Instinct. Duty. Survival.

He had a boy pinned down. He looked much younger than him. Probably fifteen or sixteen. Emil had shot him in the shoulder. The boy retaliated and punched back. They rolled on the ground. The earth shook as bombs teemed down like summer rain. They lost their balance and collapsed. Some soil got onto Emil's face. He grabbed the boy and used him as a shield as shells poured down. The boy groaned as a piece of debris stabbed him in the back. Emil finished him off with a shot in the chest.

He would never forget the boy's eyes as he fell. Those hazel eyes glimmered in the dark. Emil saw a home, a father, a mother and a sister. A decent farm with plenty of vegetables and fruit. A stunning lake view beside the little cottage. Like everyone else, the boy just wanted to go home. He fought so that he could live to see his loved ones.

Emil killed that dream.

More bombs fell down. More boys lost their dreams. They exploded in the air and vanished into the sky, together with their skin and limbs. Some were missing an arm; some a leg; some both; some just a palm or two.

Emil ran and ran. He kept shooting and yelling at the same time. He saw nothing but blood. Black smoke. Flames. So many flames. He was burning. The world was down.

He blacked out.

"Emil. Emil."

He was falling deep in the ocean. Suddenly, a hand pulled him back to the surface.

Emil opened his eyes and gasped. Leon stared back at him anxiously. And then Emil cried. He was flailing his arms before he knew it.

"No, Emil, stop!"

They held him down and tried to calm him. It hurt.

"Am I dead? Gosh, am I crippled?"

"No! No!" Leon shouted back and pinned him down on the bed. "Listen, Emil, you're fine. You just got scratched. Nothing major. Okay? Calm down!"

Emil lay down and panted. His limbs hurt in exhaustion. His hair was drenched in people's blood. He thought he didn't make it.

"It's, like, okay," said Leon as he held his hand tightly. "I'm here. You're doing well."

"I…survived?"

"Yes, you did."

"And your leg?"

"Good as new."

Leon smiled and stood up to show his recovery.

"The bullet, like, didn't go so deep."

Emil heaved a sigh of relief and closed his eyes.

For the first time in three months, he was able to sleep, with Leon holding his hand.

 **(4) Bullies**

"Keese, what're you? A girl?"

Emil sat up in his bed.

"I just asked you a question. Speak the hell up, girly!"

He tapped Leon lightly on the shoulder. The boy grunted and rubbed his eyes. They heard a yell, followed by a crashing sound outside the tent. Leon rolled off bed and put on his jacket. Emil followed him out of his tent.

Yong Soo heard the noise and woke up as well. He quickly trotted after the other two.

There, crouching under a gigantic tree was Matthew. His cheeks were swollen, apparently from punches and slaps. There were three soldiers. Their uniforms looked different.

"Who're they?" asked Emil.

Leon squinted and examined those boys from a distance.

"That's the Central European uniform," muttered Leon.

The boys laughed and started kicking Matthew, who only dodged and blocked their punches with his bare arms.

"Why are they here?" asked Yong Soo.

Those boys exchanged some remarks in their own languages.

"I don't think they're, like, speaking English," added Leon.

"That's German," said Emil. "My brother's boyfriend knows Danish and some German."

"That's bad," said Yong Soo as the boys began to surround Matthew. The one with a higher rank had white hair and ruby eyes. An albino. He yanked Matthew up and pinned him against the tree. He spat at the blond and raised his fist.

"Woah, hold on a second," shouted Yong Soo as he ran over to catch the fist.

"Stop picking on him," said Leon.

"Who are you guys?" asked Emil.

"Who are we?"

The three boys cocked his brows and laughed. The one in charge tapped his uniform and smiled smugly. "You blind or something? This is Sergeant Beilschmidt."

"And I'm Antonio. We're from the European Allies," said the boy with curly brown hair. He wore the same blue uniform and his eyes were particularly green. His skin was lightly tanned and he had a half-bitten tomato in his hand.

"Why are the European Allies here?" whispered Emil to Leon.

"Aids," answered the third boy with blond hair and blue eyes. He called himself Francis and spoke with a heavy accent. Presumably French. "You guys are messing it up. If we don't help, you're doomed."

"Get your hand off him then." Emil smacked Antonio's hand off Matthew's collar.

"As if we give a fuck," said Yong Soo.

"You picking a fight?" growled Antonio.

"Be nice to our ally, mon chéri," said Francis. "They look pathetic. No wonder they're losing the war."

"We're not losing," said Matthew with a glare.

"They like to recruit girly boys," laughed Sergeant Beilschmidt.

"Let's go," said Leon.

"And who do you think you are, son?" Sergeant Beilschmidt blocked their way and clutched Matthew by his arm. "Did I say you can go?"

"Fuck o-" Before Yong Soo could finish his utterance, he was met with a punch. Blood streamed down his nose.

"Stay out of our business," said Antonio.

"You, like, aren't supposed to do that," warned Leon. Sergeant Beilschmidt laughed. He grabbed Leon's collar and yanked his hair.

"You're a fucking Chinese, aren't you?"

Leon didn't answer.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping those Russian dogs? Oh my, you look so small. I'm surprised they even let you pass the training."

"Stop it," said Emil. He stood in between the sergeant and Leon.

"Nobody asks for your opinion, sissy." Antonio pushed Emil to the ground.

"Well, say something, Asian boy."

Leon didn't say anything. He only glared back at Sergeant Beilschmidt. If they started a fight there, they would be in big trouble.

"Don't touch my comrades," cried Matthew as he broke free from Francis's grip. He shoved Beilschmidt hard and punched him in the face.

"Why you little-"

The other two lunged at Matthew immediately. They stopped when they heard the gunshots. Alfred trod towards the crowd with a shotgun and grabbed Beilschmidt.

"Oh, if it's not Sergeant Jones," laughed Beilschmidt. "Have been a while, Alfred."

"Gilbert," growled Alfred as he pinned Gilbert on the bark. "You and your men touch my bro again, I'll make sure you're drop dead. Allies or not. You hear me?"

"I see, so he's your brother." Gilbert smirked.

Alfred let go of Gilbert and glared at him.

"I hope we can cooperate well then." Gilbert took a glimpse of Matthew and winked. He waved at his two comrades and the three left the area.

"Dudes, are you okay?" asked Alfred as he turned to his squad.

"Yea," said Yong Soo. He wiped the blood off his nose. Alfred handed him a handkerchief.

"Knew they're trouble, but we need their help," Alfred said, ruffling his own hair. "Just tell me if they're messing with you again, Mattie."

"I'm fine," said Matthew. His fist still burnt.

 _Gilbert Beilschmidt_. He would remember that name.

 **(5) Rations**

"Woah, they've got beef stew today," Yong Soo exclaimed as he flopped down on the bench crudely. He sat with spread legs and started taking large bites of the meat. "That's something."

"Badly cooked, that is," commented Leon. He frowned at the dark mess. He would prefer the usual doze of energisers. Some years ago, scientists had invented and normalised a kind of drinks that served as a major ration in the army. They did not need any actual food intake to have their stomach filled.

"This is not a place to talk about delicacies," sighed Emil.

"I remember that you cooked," said Yong Soo. He guzzled down a bottle of water and nudged Leon. "Miss your fried rice and pork chop."

"You know how to cook?" There was a beam of excitement in Emil's eyes. It had been so long since he gobbled down something decent. He had even forgotten what cuisine tasted like.

"Yea," replied Leon indifferently. "But that was, like, a long time ago, when we weren't dealing with food shortage and stuff. "

"Right."

Emil looked down at his energiser glumly. Even if the war was to end, there wouldn't be any food for them to cook. Tons of problems remained. They still had to live on injections and these weird drinks.

"I know for one maple syrup is truly something," said Matthew with a giggle. "It's sweet and appetising. Always comes with pancakes and-"

"Uh, enough," said Emil. "Isn't there anything besides maple syrup? You always mention this."

"Like kimchi," said Yong Soo.

"Shut up." Leon smacked him upside the head.

"Potatoes are the best, keese!"

They froze when they heard that trademark sinister laugh. They looked up at the uniformed sergeant, who was seemingly on a better mood today.

"Bonjour," greeted Francis as he sat down and slid himself over to Matthew. He draped an arm around the blond and smirked. "How's my chéri doing today?"

Matthew's cheeks went beet red. Leon and Yong Soo watched with their mouths agape. Emil grunted in disgust.

Antonio dragged Francis away from Matthew and chuckled. "Stop it, Francis, you're scaring the boys."

"Tsk, you're no fun," crocked Francis. He stood up and shrugged.

"Here," said Gilbert as he dumped something on the table. It was wrapped crudely in an aluminium foil and it smelled nice. "Don't think that I'm doing this for your sake. I just happened to make extra and you look way too thin. All of you."

"What's this?" asked Matthew with a frown.

"My awesomeness," laughed Gilbert. "Let's go."

"See you later, mon chéri," said Francis as he flirtatiously blew Matthew a kiss.

"Stop flirting with him!" Gilbert dragged him away.

"My! And you dare say you have no ulterior motives?"

Antonio laughed. Their voices got fainter as they left the tent.

Matthew unwrapped the foil and stared at the freshly cooked potato.

"What the hell just happened?" said Yong Soo, still stunned.

A week ago, the trio had been so nasty to them, Matthew in particular.

"And now they're acting like we're friends," said Emil with a puzzled expression.

"Is anybody even going to, like, comment on this?" said Leon, pointing to the potato.

"Why is he being so nice all of a sudden?" asked Emil.

"Only to Matthew," Yong Soo added with a chuckle.

"I…don't eat potatoes," said Matthew in his usual soft, tremulous voice.

Yong Soo laughed. He got up and gave Matthew's back a pat. "Oh boy, you're in some trouble da-ze."

"That's just so gay," said Leon and Emil simultaneously as they helped themselves with the extra food.


	2. Chapter 2

**(6) Letters**

"Where's Yong Soo?" asked Emil. He always disappeared on Wednesday nights. It was like a routine.

Leon was trying to balance himself on a line of rocks beside the lake. Emil hurled a pebble at him.

"Hey!" grunted Leon, nearly slipping. He stepped back onto the grass and frowned.

Emil laughed. He threw a candy at Leon.

"Where did you, like, get this?"

"Mattie gave me," said Emil. He hadn't chewed a gum for three years. Sweets were often considered a luxury in wars.

"And surely Gilbert, like gave him," said Leon. He sat down next to Emil and unwrapped the candy.

"That's Sergeant Beilschmidt for us, Gil for Mattie," said Emil.

Leon rolled his eyes.

"Sergeant or not, he's just a normal guy like us," mumbled Leon. He picked up a few pebbles and imagined them as grenades.

 ** _Splash._**

They landed on the water. Flames engulfed the sea.

"I don't think Mattie is buying his tactics," said Emil.

"Mattie isn't into gifts." Leon snatched the pack of candies from Emil and started digging in. "He isn't, like, a materialistic guy."

"Unlike you," said Emil sarcastically. "So if a sergeant keeps offering you stuff, you'll be totally charmed, eh?"

"I'm not that gay," said Leon.

"Still gay."

"Excuse me?" Leon smirked and poked Emil's cheek. "Who is, like, always checking me out while I'm changing?"

Emil blushed and turned away. True, Leon was pretty handsome, even with his hair trimmed. He had got some abs too.

"I think," said Emil seriously, "you look better when your hair is longer."

"Thanks. I still look good though."

Emil made a grimace and stared at the now tranquil lake.

"Where's Yong Soo anyway?"

"Writing letters," replied Leon. His voice got softer and more monotonous.

"Do people write letters these days?" Emil frowned. "I thought they've been extinct for a while since technology kicked in."

"Well, sometimes there're promises you have to keep," said Leon. He stood up and stretched.

The sun was setting right then, lighting the horizon with dots of red and orange.

"I'd, like, live to see another sunset like this."

Leon glanced unblinkingly at the glittering light.

"Who's he writing to?"

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" asked Leon casually.

"What?"

"Something always, like, remains unchanged," explained Leon as he pointed to the spectacular view ahead. "Whether there're wars or not."

"Yea, I wish people would just realise that and stop destroying this world."

"Hey, I wanna show you something."

Leon returned to Emil's side and scooted closer to him. He took out something from his breast pocket and unfolded the paper. The edges had been torn off. It revealed an old and rather faded photograph. Poorly preserved.

Emil was rather surprised someone would still keep photographs. Ever since he was born, people took photos with digital cameras and smart phones. They had a large photo base in their computers. They hardly printed them out. He couldn't even show anyone a picture of Lukas. His face only existed in his memory.

It was Leon's graduation photo. He wore a graduation gown, had a bunch of flowers and a stuffed panda in his arms. Standing next to him was a girl who looked awfully like him, except that her hair reached down to her waist and she was wearing a quite fashionable skirt. Her brows were less thick than Leon's. But still, the two looked very alike.

On Leon's other side were his some of his high school friends. Yet, next to the girl was Yong Soo.

"You…have a sister?" Emil exclaimed incredulously and leant closer to the photograph. "And you never told me this?"

"Well, there's, like, no point mentioning the dead, right?"

Emil gulped. The girl looked so young. When did that happen?

"Remember the Hawaii incident?" said Leon.

All sorts of horrendous images began to fill Emil's head. Yes, the beach was wiped out. Bombs scattered and fell on people. Houses were blown off. The island disappeared in a second flat.

"She was there," said Leon. "Graduation trip."

There was no way she could have made it. It was the exact night America decided to wage a full war.

"What…happened to Yong Soo?"

"Nothing," said Leon as he folded the photograph and kept it in his pocket. "That's the worst, I guess. They were engaged. She wouldn't, like, want him to take his own life so he decided to give his life away to the army."

Emil looked morosely at Leon, who didn't budge.

There were no tears. All the sorrow and remorse were locked away. He didn't tell Emil how he wished he hadn't argued with his twin sister; how he wished he had gone to Hawaii with her instead of Alaska. Then, they could have stayed together in death.

"Why letters?"

"She said she, like, wanted letters," said Leon. "That was the last thing she said. She said everyone's so superficial these days. She found letters more genuine."

"And Yong Soo kept his promise," mumbled Emil.

"He always does," said Leon.

When they got back into the tent, Yong Soo was asleep. There was an envelope beside his pillow. Emil glimpsed the writing on it. It said:

 _To: Heaven_

 _Attn: My Beautiful Angel Victoria_

 **(7) Mines**

It was their last mission for the day.

And they were almost making it.

Emil crouched behind the fortification. As usual, he was shuddering as he listened to the ear-splitting blasts. The land was a living hell. Every inch of his skin burnt. Leon was the best handler of IEDs on his team. He was tossing grenades and activating mini-bombs he had previously placed in the enemy's side after infiltration. Yong Soo was the best sniper they had. The number of men he had shot down was countless. Matthew was one of those in charge of the tanks.

Emil felt lost. He didn't fit in anywhere. He was constantly being rescued. And yet, he still survived miraculously to this day.

He had no talents. Limited experience. And above all, he was extremely terrified.

Every mission might be his last. That was his initial thought. But Leon was always there, right beside him, giving him directions and reminders and shielding him whenever possible. No comrades worked like that. He was his saviour.

They were called to retreat. The original path was blocked by the enemy's tanks. They had to take a short-cut through the woods. That was where Leon noticed something fishy.

They walked through a swamp and onto the sandy road.

"Wait, don't go any further, there are-" shouted Leon, but it was too late.

 ** _BOOM!_**

The explosion was immense enough to send them flying backwards. Amongst the mud and soil were the detached limbs and bones. Emil watched in bewilderment. A bloody arm landed right next to him.

"Mines…" Leon trailed off. Several comrades had stepped onto the anti-personnel mines. It was a lie that they gave you time. They blew off the second you stepped on them. It was a fantasy talk that you could keep your foot- your pressure on the mine without triggering it.

"Oh God," cried Leon as he raced to a familiar body. "Emil, how far is it until we're of the woods?"

Emil's hands were shaking. One of his comrades took the GPS and answered for Leon. They were meters away from the unit. They could still make it.

Emil was tearing up. He didn't dare move even when Leon called for him.

"Emil, please, come help me!"

Leon's hands were soaked in blood. And in his arms, squirming in agony, was their very best friend- Yong Soo.

There was no time to lose. He injected Yong Soo with morphine and put him to unconsciousness. Emil ran over to help him apply basic first-aid.

"Where's it? Where's it?" asked Emil in panic. He scanned the surrounding desperately, looking for Yong Soo's missing limbs.

"We need to, like, get back," said Leon. "NOW."

"But…But there're mines!"

"You carry his body," instructed Leon. He stood up and examined the path ahead. They were almost there but the road in front of them could be stocked with IEDs.

"Just…Just follow me," stuttered Leon. The only way out was to make a bet. He would detect the mines with his equipment and pave way for his comrades.

That is, as long as he didn't mistakenly trigger one.

"That's too risky. We should wait for rescue!" argued Emil.

Someone was calling through the radio.

"We have no time!" cried Leon.

The five injured bodies couldn't wait. They had to go.

"You'll get blown into pieces," sobbed Emil. "If you make the wrong step, you will-"

"Shut up."

Leon ignored his protest and continued forward. He bent down carefully and poked the surface with a stick. Once he detected a mine, he defused it. When it was taking too much time, he simply left the mine where it was and paved a zigzag way safe enough for his comrades to walk.

They came out of the woods eventually and raced back to their unit.

Yong Soo was conscious when they laid him on the bed. Leon forbade him to look at his right arm and his legs. He tried to keep the boy focused. Focused on his eyes. Not on the pain.

But it didn't help.

There was blood everywhere. On the sheet. On the uniform. On their skin.

Blood was coming out from Yong Soo's lips. He only had one arm left to move and he decided to lift his hand to stroke Leon's hair.

Emil had never seen so much fear in Leon's eyes. They were brimming with tears. It was the first time Leon cried on the battlefield.

"Sh, it's, like, okay, you'll live," reassured Leon, though they all knew it was a lie.

Yong Soo only smiled faintly.

He knew how severe his wounds were. He knew his vision was getting blurred.

"The doctor is coming!" shouted someone.

"You've got to wait, just a little more, Yong Soo," said Leon. "Trust me, it'll be, like, fine."

"No," Yong Soo coughed. His face was covered in so much soot they could hardly see his facial features. His eyes sparkled though. He knew he was losing it. The pain shot up his every single nerve. Even if he lived, he would be amputated and spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

He had done his part. It was time to go.

"You think she'll be proud of me daze?"

"Yes, yes, of course," said Leon as he held Yong Soo's only hand.

"Good," murmured Yong Soo.

"No, no, don't close your eyes!" shouted Leon. "Where the hell is the doctor?"

Emil looked around the hospital. It was more crowded than ever. All the doctors and nurses had been called away to treat the injured. They were running out of luck.

"Hang in there," cried Emil as he ran off to seek help.

"Thank you, Leon," said Yong Soo. "You've been a…very…good brother to me."

"Hey…Hey!"

"Annyeong."

Leon knew that was 'Goodbye' in Yong Soo's home language.

When Emil came back, Leon was on the floor, staring blankly into the space.

The body on the bed was breathing no more.

 **(8) Tags**

They burnt him, together with the letters. Leon said they would reach the heaven.

Alfred asked them to keep Yong Soo's rifle. Matthew stayed with them till the very end.

"I only have you now," muttered Leon.

Emil knew he was referring to him. Leon never planned to make it out alive. He enlisted because he had lost too much. World peace was a dream. A dream impossible to achieve. Everyone knew that.

A world without wars never existed in history. There was always something going on. Wherever there were benefits, powers and politics, there were wars.

He, just like Yong Soo, signed himself away to the army. They lived without fears because they had already embraced death.

Until Emil met him.

"Matthieu?"

Matthew turned around to face Francis. There were bandages all over his limbs. His left eye was covered in a pad. The beautiful sapphire shone no more.

He tottered towards Matthew. The European Allies were sent to fight at the East Coast. They lost thousands of men that day.

"Where's Antonio?" asked Emil.

"And Gil-" Matthew paused. Francis's face was solemn.

Antonio didn't make it. He died protecting his comrade, Lovino, who was in critical condition when he got sent to the medical unit.

"What about-" Matthew didn't dare say the name. It hurt to ask. He knew the answer wouldn't be pretty.

"He wants you to keep this, chéri," said Francis as he handed over Gilbert's dog tags to Matthew.

Matthew took the dog tags which were stained with reddish-brown colour.

"Where's he?" the blond asked with a quivering voice.

Francis only shook his head and stared at the ground.

"You're kidding me," cried Matthew. He ran over to Francis and shook him deliriously. "Where's he? He came back, didn't he?"

"You can…see his body in the hospital…" muttered Francis.

Matthew didn't go. He clutched the dog tags to his chest. Francis hugged him as he sobbed and sobbed, until his eyes went dry.

After they lost Gilbert, the European Allies sent over another squad. The sergeant in charge was Ludwig, Gilbert's younger brother. He came along with his Italian subordinate, Feliciano Vargas and a skilled samurai of Japanese descent, Kiku Honda.

Kiku worked as a spy before. He had infiltrated the Russian base so he could tell them information about the East. The war was close to an end. Millions of people were buried and soon forgotten.

Matthew never talked much afterwards. He was usually seen with Francis. The only time Emil and Leon would converse with him was during meal time. He visited the medical unit a lot. He helped change Francis's bandages and Francis would tell him what remained in his memory about Gilbert.

 **(9) Wishes**

Five years and nine months.

On Emil's twenty-second birthday, Leon managed to get him a cake. He said he would have showed him his amazing collection of fireworks if only they were able to. Emil's wishes were simple. He wished, for one, to see Lukas again. He hadn't heard from him in ages but he knew, somewhere out there, Lukas was alive, fighting gallantly for the sake of his family. Mathias would be there to protect him.

His second wish was for Leon to stay with him forever. He never said this aloud.

It was the last time they slept on the grass and watched the stars above them. Leon held his hand tight and hummed a birthday song.

Alfred told them there was only one mission remaining. Then, the war would end. They would go home and start their life anew.

Leon had nothing left. Emil still had Lukas at least.

He wanted to take Leon with him after everything was over.

That was his plan.

People came and left.

Precisely a month before, Matthew got shot fatally in the chest. He returned with broken ribs and a missing arm. Francis got hit by a bomb. They never found his body.

Matthew left in Alfred's arms.

"What're you gonna do once this is over?" asked Emil.

"I'm, like, gonna go to the bar and drink till dawn."

"Good idea," echoed Emil.

"And watch you dance when you're drunk," added Leon.

"Rude." Emil pouted.

"Nah, I, like, promised Yong Soo I would bring him kimchi," said Leon. "And I told Matthew I would try out maple syrup for real."

"You think they're watching over us?" asked Emil as he stared innocently at the sky.

"Yep," said Leon. "They're probably in a better place now."

"Where there are no wars."

"Only kimchi and maple syrup."

They laughed and soon they dozed off.

 **(10) Goodbye**

 _It's all going to end_ , thought Emil.

Alfred didn't lie.

It was the end.

Emil had lost the ability to shriek. Leon stood right beside him. The two of them glanced over the burning sea. Bombs poured down every second or two. The ground shook violently. Blood spilled out from their wounds. They heard a loud rumble. Lots of explosions. Wails. Roars.

Their last battle.

A huge aircraft passed them. They stared at the sky wide-eyed.

"That's…not right," said Emil. He was unexpectedly calm. It was as if he had foreseen everything. He had dropped his rifle. Leon was holding his hand so there was nothing to fear.

"They promised not to involve nuclear power!" cried Emil.

"Unless that's the last resort," said Leon, his eyes hollow.

Everyone was frozen on the spot. Time ceased.

So many noises resonated in his ears he struggled to hear what Leon was saying.

Leon had turned to him with a smile.

Emil finally burst into tears.

"It's been a pleasure, Emil," whispered Leon into his ear, making sure Emil could capture very word. "To meet you. War is hell, but you're an angel. You don't belong here. If we had met each other somewhere else before, at another time, I would've told you this long ago."

 ** _BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_**

They were dropping more bombs than ever.

And then, one giant bomb was heading straight to where they were standing.

"I love you," admitted Leon as he graciously kissed Emil.

Leon's eyes were the last thing he saw. They flickered like diamonds. He saw eternity in them.

He didn't say anything. He knew he didn't have to. Leon had got his message across.

Emil returned the kiss passionately.

That was their very first kiss.

And also their last.

 ** _BOOM!_**

Everything was engulfed in a colossal mushroom cloud.

All that remained was a barren land where life started anew.

If there had been time for Emil, he would have told Lukas with his very last breath.

That he had found his true love.

And that he would be with him forever.

Love is beautiful.

Even in the worst place on Earth.


End file.
